ABC News(NEW YORK) — Two Americans and five Argentinian tourists visiting New York City to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation were among those killed in Tuesday’s truck attack in Lower Manhattan, officials said.
The five Argentinians killed by suspected attacker Sayfullo Saipov were identified as Hernan Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damian Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernan Ferruchi, the country’s consulate in New York City said.
Argentina’s president, Mauricio Macri, said today that the victims were from the city of Rosario.
That city has declared three days of mourning.
“They were five young entrepreneurs, model citizens in Rosario society and I can only imagine with beautiful families,” Macri said in Spanish.
“This is something that has impacted all Argentines and myself in particular,” he added. “I want to send my condolences to all of the families but this also reminds us that there is no space for gray zones in today’s world and we all must stand together in the fight against terrorism.”
Two Americans were also killed, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said this morning, without naming them.
The nationality of the eighth victim was not immediately clear. Nigro said the eighth victim was from Germany, but the deputy prime minister of Belgium tweeted that a Belgian citizen died in the attack.
Besides the eight deaths, 12 people, including two children and two school staff members, were injured.
An Argentinian identified as Martin Ludovico Marro was also among the injured and three Belgians were reported to be wounded, officials said.
Nine of the 12 injured remain in the hospital today, Nigro said. The injuries range from a bilateral amputation to serious head, neck, back and chest trauma, and trauma to arms and legs, Nigro said.
“This was a heinous attack that resulted in eight deaths and serious injuries,” Nigro said. “Our prayers are with the families of those who died and those who remain in the hospital.”
Tuesday’s deadly incident is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism.
The chaos unfolded shortly after 3 p.m., when the suspect drove a vehicle — a Home Depot rental truck, according to the company — onto the West Street pedestrian and bike path north of Chambers Street, hitting multiple people on the path, New York City police said. The truck drove south and collided with a school bus on Chambers Street near Stuyvesant High School, injuring two school staff members and two children, police said.
After the collision, the truck driver exited the vehicle brandishing what appeared to be two handguns, police said. NYPD police officer Ryan Nash confronted the suspect and shot him in the abdomen. The suspect was wounded and transported to a hospital, police said.
A paintball gun and a pellet gun were recovered at the scene, police said.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the incident a “cowardly act of terror.”
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